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Renewables crucial for EU decarbonisation, but technology choices matter for air quality

News Published 19 Dec 2019 Last modified 19 Dec 2019

2 min read

Photo: © Annie-Spratt on Unsplash

Growth in renewable energy use since 2005 has been instrumental in reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the European Union (EU), according to a briefing published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Many renewables, including those sourced from wind, solar geothermal energy or heat pumps, are also effective in cutting air pollutant emissions but the results are mixed when biomass replaces fossil fuel burning, especially in households.